Chapter 323 Falling into One's Own Trap
Aaron almost did a double-take when he saw the chick in the red dress!
Next thing he knew, a little girl in a matching red dress popped up, looking all cute and festive.
Susanna grabbed Lillian's hand and headed straight to a private room on the second floor, the one with the killer view, usually reserved for the regulars.
Aaron watched Susanna vanish from sight, her presence still buzzing among the dudes around him who couldn't stop yapping about her. Their chatter got so out of hand that Aaron shot them a cold, sharp look that shut them up real quick.
Ignoring the gossiping guys, Aaron took a seat and threw one last look at the second-floor private room.
Vivian, sitting behind Aaron, caught his gaze and felt a wave of frustration.
She'd already dug up some dirt on the woman: her name was Nova, a regular at Radiant Valley, known for playing around with guys and having a ton of dates. This info left Vivian feeling all sorts of conflicted and not ready to face the truth.
Turning to Sam, she couldn't hold it in any longer. "Sam, I heard some juicy gossip about that woman when I came in. Wanna hear it?"
"Spill it, what did you hear?"
"That chick's Nova Ramirez, a regular at Radiant Valley. They offer special services there, and she picks a different guy to hang with every time. She's super popular 'cause she's loaded," Vivian said.
After spilling the tea, she sneaked a glance at Aaron, but couldn't read his face 'cause he was wearing a mask.
Sam asked, "That's it? Nothing else? Like her background?"
Vivian replied awkwardly, "I haven't got those deets yet. But I've heard about what Susanna used to be like, and she's nothing like this chick. She can't be Susanna."
Aaron cut in with a frosty tone, "Susanna? You're not even close to being qualified to say her name."
Vivian, feeling the burn, reluctantly explained, "You two are already divorced."
"Shut up! Keep talking crap, and you can leave."
Aaron finally lost his cool, and Vivian, feeling salty, had to zip it, not daring to say another word.
Sam looked at Vivian helplessly. "I told you to stay out of it. Alright, let's just watch the auction."
Vivian reluctantly agreed but couldn't help glancing at the second floor. Even though Nova seemed so unworthy, Aaron still couldn't get her out of his head. Did that face really have some kind of magic?
As the auction was about to kick off, the curtains of the second-floor private room slowly opened, revealing Susanna sitting there all dignified. Her eyes scanned the room below, finally locking onto Sam and Aaron, grabbing their attention with just one look.
Lillian stood on tiptoe and asked, "Mommy, is Uncle Aaron at the auction too? Where is he?"
"In the middle of the third row."
"I see him. Can I call him later?" Lillian waved her pink smartwatch, which Abel had already fixed.
Susanna swirled her champagne glass, saying, "Do as you like. But I wonder what he's planning to bid on!"
Right then, a soft knock echoed through the room, and Connor walked in. "Ms. Jones, I'm really sorry for the misunderstanding earlier. I didn't know she was your daughter. This is a small token of my apology; I hope you like it!"
Connor had just found out the news and was super upset. Luckily, nothing happened to Lillian; otherwise, Radiant Valley would've been toast, courtesy of the Jones family!
Susanna's eyes turned icy, a silent storm brewing inside her. It looked like Edward must've stepped in personally after hearing about Lillian's near-kidnapping by Samantha, prompting Connor's quick apology.
She barely gave Connor's gift a glance, her eyes cold and distant. Turning to Lillian, she asked, "Sweetie, what do you want as an apology gift?"
"Mommy, can I ask for anything?"
Connor quickly jumped in, "Little one, as long as it's within my means, you can have it."
Lillian tilted her head, thinking hard, then picked up a number plate. "I want this," she said.
Connor stood there, totally baffled, his eyes darting between Susanna and Lillian.
Susanna gently patted Lillian's head and suggested, "How about this: if my little one bids on something later, that item will be her gift. Sound good?"
"No problem." Connor let out a sigh of relief. The auction items wouldn't be much different in value from the gift he had in mind. If Lillian liked something cheap, he'd be in luck.
As the door closed behind Connor, the room fell silent again. Lillian broke the quiet with her innocent voice, asking, "Mommy, why did that uncle seem so happy?"
"Because he thinks he got a good deal, but he's celebrating too soon," Susanna explained.
Though Susanna wouldn't meddle in what Lillian bid on, Lillian had a sharp eye, having seen all sorts of things from a young age.
Glancing towards the stage, Susanna told Lillian, "The auction's started. Bid on whatever catches your eye."
The next second, Lillian handed the number plate to her, saying generously, "Mommy, this is my gift to you. Bid on whatever you like!"
Susanna felt deeply touched and pulled Lillian into her arms, showering her with kisses. "I don't want anything. Bid for yourself, I'm not mad anymore."
With such a sweet Lillian, how could she stay mad?
She had now installed a GPS tracker in Lillian's smartwatch, ensuring she could always keep an eye on her little one's whereabouts. But she hadn't told Lillian about it.
As the auction unfolded, Sam found himself eyeing a stunning necklace and started bidding like crazy. Soon, he was the only one left in the race.
Feeling confident, Sam's hopes soared until a voice cut through the room, bidding decisively, "Six million dollars."
"Alright, the guest in the second-floor private room has bid six million dollars. Does anyone else want to bid?"
Sam gritted his teeth, bidding, "Six and a half million dollars."
"Six point six million dollars!"
After Susanna called out the price, she looked at Sam on the first floor, clearly displeased with him.
Sam knew Susanna was doing it on purpose, feeling a bit frustrated. "Aaron, she's doing this on purpose, isn't she?"
"Anyone with eyes can see that," Aaron remarked.
He also glanced in the direction of the second floor, catching a glimpse of Lillian's braids swaying under the glass. Her petite stature prevented him from seeing more than her enchanting braids.
In the end, the necklace Sam wanted was won by Susanna.
Sam felt unwilling and started bidding on another necklace that appeared later. It seemed as if Susanna had done it intentionally as she re-entered the bidding war.
Sam's tone carried a hint of excitement as he exclaimed, "Just wait and see how I one-up her this time!"
Aaron reminded calmly, "Be careful not to fall into your own trap."
"Don't worry, I've never lost in this game!"
Sam continued bidding against Susanna, but when he was about to give up, Susanna unexpectedly gave up first.
In the end, he spent ten million dollars on something he didn't even like.
Aaron smirked, "Didn't go as planned, did it?"
